Transportation

Northwest Houston Residents Fighting Proposed Public Housing Complex

A decision could come soon regarding plans for the former Pinemont Park and Ride lot in northwest Houston. The Houston Housing Authority wants to buy the land for a new development but neighbors are protesting the move.

A couple of hundred people showed up at a meeting Thursday night to protest Metro’s plan to sell the former Pinemont lot to the Houston Housing Authority. Housing officials want to use the property for 300 units of what’s called “workforce housing.”

David Ashton moved to the neighborhood near U.S. 290 and Pinemont about a year ago. He worries another large apartment complex would only bring problems.

But Houston Housing Authority President Tory Gunsolly says the apartments would be rented to people who work, but who make about 60% of the area’s median income.

“So you’re talking about typically one-parent households with one or two children, somebody who’s working full-time at a lower paying job,” explains Gunsolly.

The proposed sale is now in the preliminary stages, and Gunsolly says there will be numerous public meetings if they decide to go forward. Metro and the Housing Authority are both expected to take action on the sale at their board meetings next week.

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Gail Delaughter

Transportation Reporter

From early-morning interviews with commuters to walks through muddy construction sites, Gail covers all aspects of getting around Houston. That includes walking, driving, cycling, taking the bus, and occasionally flying. Before she became transportation reporter in 2011, Gail hosted weekend programs for Houston Public Media. She's also covered courts in...